23 July 2009

There I was, laying in bed in my hostel dormbed, relishing the free wifi that every single guesthouse in Malaysia seems to have. It was midnight (9am PST) and I checked my blogger account and noticed that I had a new follower. This brought me to 23, so I was pretty excited. I went about my business and checked the gossip websites, the news and facebook, and checked my blogger account one more time before going to sleep. I now had 29 followers.

It took me months to pester my friends and family to actually sign up and follow me (go through steps?! Register?! No way, best friend!) - accruing my 22 followers was hard work. And now, magically, I had 29.

A notion began tickling my brain. "Maybe the tweet you sent to Blogger worked. Maybe you are Blog Of Note....." As I was clicking to check I saw it: a comment in my inbox."Congratulations on becoming Blog Of Note!"

I woke S up (he was bleary eyed and confused but happy nonetheless) and began watching my followers and comments amass. I was giddy! I still am!

You guys are some of the only people to recognize how awesome it really - the average person is like 'Blog of wha....? Is that on the internets?" Thank you so so much for all of your amazing comments and compliments - they mean a lot to me!

So, I guess I had better introduce myself a bit better to all of you new readers. My friends, family and longterm followers have gotten used to my idiosyncrasies, quirks and foibles - I have many.... Here are 10!

Ten Random Things About Me and My Blog

1) I am currently backpacking around Asia, and have been for 10 months. I have no set date to return home, though it looks like late Fall.... On this trip I have traveled to: Thailand (North and South) India, Nepal, Maldives, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar (Burma), Brunei and Malaysian Borneo. On the agenda? Indonesia, Philippines, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and Sri Lanka.

2) Most of the older posts here were written just as personal essay stuff that I posted on facebook....I reposted them here (in the correct date order), but that is why they are:a)REALLY LONG andb)Have few or no photosAlso, I often mull stuff over and write about it months later....that is why, even though I am here in Borneo I might post about the Maldives or Nepal (which I visited 7 months ago.) I'm non-linear, ladies and gentlemen!

Creepy third pupil close-up shot.

3) I have a third pupil in my left eye. My opthamologist claims it is a cyst, but I prefer the other explanation.

4) I know the capital of every country on the planet. This is the result of many long bus rides (the longest was 26 hours) and a pocket sized atlas that I bought in India. It may also be because I was a travel agent for two years - a really good one (modesty be damned...)

5) You will read my references to my partner (S) and see photos of him, the handsome devil. I always write him as a "Dave Foley in News Radio" straight man to my "dizzy Lucy you so crazy" comedienne, but in reality he is much funnier than I am. In fact, he should write his own blog, or take this one over occasionally. We have been together for 3 years and it was either buy a house or come on this trip. Voila!

My Mum and I at the Taj Mahal. I promise it's there, behind all that mist.

6)I inherited my love of travel from my Mum (sappy family moment alert!!!!) who has defied teenage mum odds (she was 17) to have a great career and backpack the world. She and I have traveled Czech Republic, Netherlands, Mexico, India and the Maldives together - and it is her fascination with art and culture and willingness to try new things while on the road that taught me to "just try it once."Her sentiment "there are worse places to die" echoing in my ears encourages me to try a whole host of adventurous things (jumping off of waterfalls, motorbiking in Vietnam, crossing the street in India...) that I may have passed on otherwise.

7) If you ask me questions I will try to respond asap - usually below the list of comments so you will have to check back to see (sorry!) I will answer travel questions, post-related questions and even silly irrelevant questions (I like some of these :D) but it may take me a long time as I am traveling and I don't think that Indonesia will have much wifi. Prove me wrong, world's-largest-archipelago, Prove me wrong!

8) Yes, I went to University and took English courses (and did very well, thank you). Yes, I am aware that my punctuation and syntax is..... unorthodox. I am an unrelenting fan of the dash, the bracket and the dot dot dot - even the asterix. Sometimes it even annoys me, so I can imagine how you might feel..... I have tried to break the habit repeatedly - and failed. (I am also never sure if the period should go inside or outside of the bracket, so you'll see that bounce around too.) ?

9) I am entered in this thing (*looks at the ground sheepishly with big sad eyes*) to blog my way to Antarctica. It is not going so well (the leader has like 2000 votes. I have 117)ood but my brain won't concede defeat. So, maybe you could vote? Thanks!

At a table, about to eat food, surrounded by a cat and a dog. happiness.

10) I am a foodie. I love food. I fantasize about food. I dream about food. I am also a vegetarian (who eats fish - so really a pescetarian, but when I use that word people are like "Pesce-what?")I also love animals - trying to help them out is a passion in my life, so the two things are kind of related. I will be starting a cheese blog when I get home (because here in Asia? Not so much with the cheese unless it comes in a plastic wrapping) with one of my besties....until then I will be sure to take lots of food close-ups and tell you what I am eating.

Thank you again for reading, subscribing and commenting. I will try to read as many of your blogs as I can! I am heading off for a three day trek in Borneo's Kinabantagan Jungle - I will be back then with photos of orang utans and proboscis monkeys!

Hello! Which part of Borneo Malaysia are you in now? Is Sarawak in your plans too? I'm based in Miri but I've only travelled to Kuching, Bintulu and Mulu. I plan to go to Bario one day to see my husband's 'kampung' there. Not so soon though. Just wondering whre you'll be travelling next.

wow, congrats on being 'of note' I don't know who is the decider on that but I'd agree wholeheartedly with their assessment of your musings. I'm new to this blogging land - this week in fact! And I too have been excitedly watching the followers go from 7 to 8 to watch out! 9! Omg. So congrats on 382! You're rocking it! I'll make it 383 right now. Travel safe!

Ah... Only if you had read my comment on "That is Promise?" earlier. I was the first on to 'tell' you that I came across your blog on "Blogs of Note".Most people just 'stumbled across your blog' :-)So, you are in Malaysia, hunh? Well, the Tourism Department of Malaysia advertises it as the country where you experience the true essence of Asia. I hope you have a great time there and it makes up for all the misadventures that you've had up until now.Say "Hello" to S for me.Happy Travelling!

We all love reading your blog here. Can't wait for you two to come home too. Some sad business to take care of when you do get back, but we miss you. I push your blog on all my friends and even coworkers. You're doing what I would love to do but haven't the courage to do. But I still learn loads from you. Hope to see you soon! (I still want to drop everything and meet you guys in Australia but no, we're buying a house instead it looks like. Sigh.)

I'm one of those new followers. I really like your rambling style. It fits well with the kind of adventures you seem to have. Have you ever been to Japan? I'm living there right now. If you haven't you should put it on your list. It's a great place with amazing people. Thanks for writing.

I never check the "Blogs of Note" tab on my dashboard, but in a desperate attempt to find something a little less about people trying to have babies and little more about people following their dreams. I enjoy reading about babies and infertility, but it gets depressing sometimes. That's how I stumbled across your blog. I chose the buy a house route instead of traveling the world, so I enjoy reading your blog and thinking about what would have happened if I went the other route.

New follower here - thanks for the background! It's been great reading backwards through your posts - chronology be damned. You mentioned that your travels will be taking you home within the year and I was bummed...until you got to the part about cheese. I guess if you're going to take a break from travel writing for a bit, dairy is an awesome reason!

Thanks for the tid-bit of history! I am one of the few that found your blog from the "Blog of Note". I also love to travel and I hope that I will be able to live my dream, as you are now, someday. I'm also a pescetarian! It's nice to see that at least ONE other person in the world knows that term. No one here in Oklahoma does. Anyhoo... I just wanted to say "Hi" and tell you how much I enjoy your blog! Happy travels!

Congratulations on blog of note! I'm jealous...but, you definitely deserver it! I wish I had the guts you do, to travel...I would love to be that brave. I'm on a spiritual journey right now and I read a book that inspired me to want to go to italy, india and indonesia.....I'm a foodie, too, I can't imagine all the wonderful foods you have tried....I will be living vicariously through you, now that I've stumbled onto your blog! P.S, I have serious elipses and bracket issues, too!S

Hi Violet Dear, My daughter also has a misshapen pupil in her left eye. She was in her second grade classroom and was in exactly the wrong place at exactly the wrong time as a splinter from a tinker toy careened across the room directly into her eye and shattered her lens. She had emergency surgery to scoop out the lens remnants. This was 14 years ago. (I still remember her little 7 year old body being wheeled away on an enormous hospital bed. Brave girl.) In addition to the misshapen pupil, her left eye is brown, while her right eye is blue. She loves it. Makes her feel like Bowie. Enjoy your travels! Looks like a blast.

Just wanted to drop by 'n say hey (thank heavens for those "Blogs of Note" notes, or else I NEVER woulda found ya!). Now, as ya can probably plainly see, I too have no "formal" writing style....(gotta love those dot dot dots!)....I just write 'em as I speak 'em, thank ya very much. Anyway, I sure do envy ya......yer never plunked down in one lousy spot for far too long, yer always up 'n on the move and yer seein' the world yer way. Sounds marvelous if I do say so myself...even tho I'm much too lazy to even leave the damn house these days (except for that wretched place I gotta go to every day called "work", darnitall anyway) :-) So best of luck to ya, be safe 'n keep up yer great tales o' travels. Lookin' forward to readin' more.

Congratulations on being a Blog of Note! I've been reading your blog for a little while, I guess I should become a follower, shouldn't I? I really love your blog...it reminds me of a travel blog I did of my trip to India last year. I promise I'll become a follower today, and I'll send you a link when I do another travel blog. I don't have any followers (yet!), but I do have a link to you on my site!

hi! it must be so nice to be able to travel a lot. I have never been out of my country, i am from the philippines, by the way. please also visit my blog, charmedwishes18.blogspot.com thanks! more power!

I enjoy your posts. I love to travel, but haven't had the opportunity to go as far as you. Congratulations. Us, readers, can enjoy your trip through your writings. Thanks again for sharing. I myself have just recently started blogging too. http://livinginthefastlanex2.blogspot.com Please visit when you have time.

Hi! I, along with what looks to be about 500 other people, found your blog through Blog of Note. I was reading through some of your past entries, and I think you're hilarious. I'm an American expat living in Argentina, and I always enjoy a good travel story or two. You can now count me among the masses (aka your followers!). Looking forward to more tales from Asia.

Hi Violet, Congratulations for receiving, Blog of Note. After visiting your fabulous blog, I can understand why. My daughter is a vegetarian, recently turned pescetarian, too. I have a lot of seafood and veggie recipes on my blog. We are big foodies, too. Have fun on your adventures!

Hi, So i am known to jump on the occasional band wagon, but blogs normally aren't one of them. I followed Dooce for a while, she is funny, but I got busy and left her after a yr. I just started my blog just a few days ago, i hope to improve my English writing skills buy actually writing something other than txts and medical notes - not likely btw, as as you can see, i use txt words in my correspondence and my grammar is awful!! But anyway, I decided to follow you as in a yr my husband and I are planning a trip much the same as yours. I hope it will last 4 months, but probably not longer as i am itching for kids and don't think i can wait much longer. Anyway... i have enjoyed it so far, i'm hoping to learn some not so readily available info from you for our travels. Congrats - you are significantly followed!

It's so awesome how you get to travel to all these places. I wish I could do that and here's to being a foodie! I'm just starting out blogging and I was wondering, since you write about your personal life, aren't you worried about writing too much personal stuff here? Have fun traveling!

Jetseeka, ura good righter of cultural, food and political wrongs. i am proud to say i knew u when...further to you're punctuation dilema, when a thot is expressed as a complete sentence withing the bracket's u you's a period you'all... whoever when it is just a fragment or thotlet, the bracket is enclosed as such and the punctation(sic) is then placed at the 'hend' (For any newfie readers who may be literate, I joke because i love.) of the sentence. i hope this clears things up. u rock, Uncle G

I love your blog, well done on you blog of note. Thanks for "following" mine, it made me feel special to see my followers go from 9 to 10! haha!

I have a silly question: I see you have your laptop with you, I wasn't going to take mine because the travel books said not to but now I have see you with one I have changed my mine.....Do you have any problems with connection or security?...I'm a backpacking virgin! teehee!

Blogster 56 - I don't worry because I never ever post really personal stuff. Names - sure. But I won't say where I live, where I work etc... If you are blogging I think people like a certain degree of familiarity! Cheers!

Who's That Girl?

I'm a writer, Masters student and neon sign historian who loves Herzog films, late night poutine and petting dogs. I currently reside in London, England where I am completing a postgrad in Heritage Studies. These are my ramblings about architecture, food, pop culture and Buddhism.